Officer shoots bar-goer after knife attack

Published 7:00 pm, Saturday, July 11, 2009

A Midland man was fatally shot early Saturday morning after he attacked an off-duty police officer working security outside of a North Midland bar, authorities said.

Jeremy Waller, 27, was shot twice in the chest by MPD officer Joey Garcia, who was working security at The Ranch on Friday night.

Around 1 a.m. Saturday, authorities said an altercation between several bar patrons occurred inside the bar. Waller was asked to leave the premises, and a cab was called to give him a ride home.

A few minutes later, police said he returned and started another fight in The Ranch parking lot. Garcia attempted to place Waller under arrest but he resisted and pushed the officer to the ground, the MPD said. A struggle ensued with Waller on top of Garcia where he then took out a knife and gashed Garcia in the head with the handle of it.

Investigators said Garcia was able to get the knife away from Waller by using his baton to knock it out of his hand, however, Waller was able to retrieve it. He opened the blade and moved aggressively towards Garcia, police said.

As other officers arrived on the scene to assist Garcia, he fired two shots at Waller and struck him in the chest.

Both were taken to Midland Memorial Hospital; Waller was pronounced dead while Garcia received nine staples to close the cut in his head.

Garcia is an eight-year officer with the department and was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of both an internal and criminal investigation. He was armed with a .40 caliber department-issued pistol.

The MPD Shoot Team and the Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting, as a matter of procedure.

The last officer-involved shooting occurred June 5 when officer Chris Lummus killed 44-year-old Jerry Rheinland in the 1600 block of North J Street when he confronted officers with a gun. Lummus was cleared by a Midland County grand jury and placed back on full duty.